South Australia advances almost 13GW of solar and wind in Whyalla West tender

The successful tenderers are Windlab, Altra Energy SA, Heron Energy and Neoen. Together their proposals cover more than 3,300 square kilometres, according to the state government.

Windlab’s Whyalla West Project is the largest proposal, at up to 6GW of combined wind and solar across about 2,386 square kilometres. The developer said its first stage would comprise 600MW to 1,000MW of wind generation alongside battery storage.

Altra Energy SA has put forward a 4.7GW wind and solar project, while Heron Energy has proposed 1.6GW of wind. Neoen’s 350MW solar PV plant, covering about 81 square kilometres, is the only solar-only proposal among the four.

Neither Windlab nor Altra has said how its capacity will be split between solar and wind. The state government and the developers have not yet published names for the Altra, Heron and Neoen projects.

Neoen is already a familiar name in the state. The French independent power producer (IPP) operates wind and battery storage assets in South Australia and is now owned by Canadian investor Brookfield.

“For generations, Whyalla has been one of South Australia’s great industrial centres,” said Tom Koutsantonis, the state’s minister for energy and mining.

“We want to build on that strength, attracting new investment and creating opportunities for the next generation of industry.”

The selection gives each company the exclusive right to apply for a renewable energy feasibility licence. The licences allow detailed technical, commercial and environmental studies, and all four proposals remain subject to further assessment, consultation and approvals.

Industrial demand shapes Whyalla’s renewables pipeline

The state government opened the tender in April under the Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Act 2023, which sets out how land can be released for large-scale renewable energy development. The tender spanned two release areas covering more than 11,000 square kilometres.

The process was technology-agnostic, allowing bids for solar, wind, energy storage or hydrogen production, and bids closed on 28 June.

The government has not yet announced an outcome for the second area, Gawler Ranges East on the Upper Eyre Peninsula.

Windlab’s chief development officer, Nathan Blundell, said the area was “especially compelling” because of its renewable energy resources and the region’s industrial base. Altra Energy SA director Andrew Newman said the company was working with large energy users so that investment and jobs stay in the region.

The tender comes as transmission operator ElectraNet forecasts that annual electricity demand in South Australia could reach about 50TWh by 2040 in a high-growth scenario, roughly triple today’s level. Green steel production at Whyalla, data centres and hydrogen are the main drivers, and ElectraNet puts current transfer capacity into the Whyalla area at about 450MW.

Data centre developers are already contracting supply. Firmus Technologies signed a 12-year agreement with Gunvor that includes 1.2GW of new renewable energy generation by 2032 for AI campuses at Tailem Bend and Stirling North, near Port Augusta.

Federal support is also reaching the state. EDF Power Solutions’ 289MW Whyte Yarcowie wind project was the only South Australian project among the 7.8GW awarded under Capacity Investment Scheme Tender 7 in May.

South Australia aims to reach 100% net renewable energy by the end of 2027. Koutsantonis said he was confident the state could meet that target, while acknowledging that the four Whyalla West projects remain in their early stages.